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EDITORIAL
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CONTENTS
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HARNESSING SELF-AWARENESS
A STUDENT’S GUIDE TO JOB SEARCHING
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS 101
NEED TO KNOW: NETWORKING
AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE
GENEVIEVE BENSON
HARNESSING SELF AWARNESS
As an individual, self-awareness both personally and professionally is crucial to understanding your identity, strengths and areas of growth. Through reflection and assessment, students can evaluate their skills and articulate them effectively in informational interviews and networking contexts, as well as during formal interviews during the jobseeking process. Exploring positive professional traits through UMN tools is helpful as tailored resources are abundant for students within every major. Each college provides assessments to lead students through career exploration and readiness, and offers effective language to use when expressing your background, talents and experiences to a prospective employer. The College of Liberal Arts offers the Core Career Competencies to prompt students to examine the areas they have developed throughout their academic career. Additionally, the RATE (reflect, articulate, translate and evaluate) tool guides students when reviewing past job, internship, volunteer and course experiences towards relevant language and terminology. Other forms of assessment can be found in first-year and transfer student introductory courses, which each college offers in its own capacity. As a college student, the first step is being aware of your overarching objectives and career goals, even if they're not set in stone. Exploration and self-reflection ask the question, what personal and professional opportuni-ties are out there in relation to my interests, goals and passions? After identifying this information, the career world is your oyster!
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SOCHEATA MOK Whether you have just started the process as an incoming undergraduate student or are well on your way to gradu-ation, the job-seeking process can seem daunting. However, a College of Liberal Arts Career Counselor, Marlena Yang, says it does not have to be too difficult if you work smart.
USE YOUR RESOURCES There are numerous off and on-campus fairs dedicated to internship and full-time positions, including the UMN Job & Internship Fair, held on Friday, February 28. This valuable opportunity allows students to connect with professionals in a wide variety of industries. It also offers student-to-student engagement by encouraging students to network with each other and practice their personal elevator pitch. If students are unable to attend the February fair, other networking, job and internship events are hosted throughout the year with diverse focuses and employers. Visit the UMN Career Services website (career.umn.edu/career-events) for more information.
UNDERSTAND WHERE TO LOOK All students have access to GoldPass (powered by Handshake), a job and internship search platform for all UMN students and alumni. If you are interested in a specific organization, visit its website directly to learn more regarding available positions and company values. Accessing your network, whether it be family, friends or mentors, is an important step in the job hunt and outreach process. If you inform others that you are exploring a career or open job, you could be the first person in mind when they receive information about an available position.
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KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS Understanding and channeling your personal skills and professional experiences is crucial when articulating your value to a prospective employer. Reflection is a vast component of career development, therefore evaluation and self-awareness are key to success. Student employment is a beneficial experience for employers, as are the skills and knowledge gained in UMN courses. Do not underestimate the information you have gained from class material and projects, and ensure to reference it when speaking with a hiring manager or interviewer. Employers will understand if you have done your research about the organization, therefore dedicate time to educating yourself on the job description, the company and its role, and how you want to contribute to its success.
ACCEPT THE NO, CELEBRATE THE YES While failure is unavoidable, it should be embraced! When receiving a “no,” ask for feedback, whether it be regarding your resume, cover letter or interview session. If an employer/interviewer fails to provide feedback when requested, that is a sign of its own. Let the rejection sit with you and analyze what you can do differently next time (hint: sometimes, it’s an issue with the specific position or employer, so do not be too hard on yourself). Do not dwell on it for too long as there are many other applications to submit, interviews to be had, and jobs to be done. Everyone will garner countless “no’s” in their career, so examine how to grow from it and move forward. Connect with a Career Counselor for more information regarding major/minor exploration, career development and more. Keep in mind, the job searching process is different for everyone. Avoid comparisons to those around you and focus on your journey. Good luck, Gophers!
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SOCHEATA MOK
Informational interviews are helpful for undergraduates in their career-searching process because it offers students the opportunity to learn more about a particular career or field from a direct source. To prepare students for informational interviews, here is some valuable advice from Chrissy Francis, a career adviser in the College of Science and Engineering.
1. CONNECT WITH PEOPLE YOU KNOW OR WITH ALUMNI AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA’S MAROON AND GOLD NETWORK OR LINKEDIN •
Connect with people you know. An informational interview can be uncomfortable for many, so it may be easier to begin networking with those you already know. If you have someone in your family, friends or network that works at a specific company or industry you’re interested in, contact them for an interview.
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Connect with alumni on the Maroon and Gold Network. Students can find interview candidates through the school’s alumni network based on college, major, company, job title and degree type. Visit maroonandgoldnetwork.umnalumni.org to access the Maroon and Gold Network.
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Connect with alumni on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is another excellent resource to locate alumni for their informational interview. You can find the University of Minnesota page on LinkedIn, and then select “Alumni.” There will be various filters such as location, company, job title or major. Then, craft your message on LinkedIn to reach out to specific alumni for the informa-tional interview.
2. BE PREPARED FOR THE INTERVIEW When you go into an informational interview, it’s essential to come prepared and be ready to lead the conversation. Therefore: •
Research the interviewee’s background. Part of the preparation process is to familiarize yourself with the person you’re interviewing. You want to know about their educational and professional background so you can develop questions that are more informed and thoughtful.
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Have a list of questions prepared, so you can get the conversation rolling. It is your job and not the interviewee’s job to drive the conversation during the informational interview. Therefore, make sure you have a list of questions prepared to show you’re willing to engage in the conversation, steer it and keep it on track without wasting the other person’s time.
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Bring a notebook and a pen to take notes. You are there to learn about their work, so it never hurts to take a few notes during the conversation. After all, they may say something important or interesting that you don’t want to forget, so having a notebook can create better materials to reference later on.
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Arrive early. Showing up about 10 minutes early for the interview is helpful. Any more than 10 minutes may disrupt the person’s day at work.
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Dress up a little bit. You want to treat the informational interview as a professional interview, so you want to dress up business-style to fit the environment of the interview/interviewee. For example, if you’re doing an informational interview in a corporate environment, a suit may be appropriate.
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3. AVOID ASKING SOMEONE TO HIRE YOU OR QUESTION THEIR SALARY •
Do not ask someone to hire you. The purpose of an informational interview is for you to gather information about the person’s job, not for them to hire you. You can ask questions about how you would obtain a position at their company or other companies, but it changes the dynamic of the conversation if you ask them to hire you.
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Do not question their salary. It is inappropriate to ask the person about their salary. Therefore, if you’re wondering how much a person in their particular field makes, avoid asking “how much do you make annually?” Instead, you can ask them, “what is a typical salary range for someone in your field?” This way, you can still get the information you want from the interviewee more generally. Tread lightly in this area.
4. OFFER TO BUY YOUR INTERVIEWEE COFFEE, IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT As a college student, you may have a limited budget. If you’re able to purchase the coffee for the person you’re interviewing with, it demonstrates a nice gesture to thank them for taking out their time of the day to do you a favor. So, if you can afford to buy them a cup of coffee, offer to do so.
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5. FOLLOW-UP AFTER THE INTERVIEW Always follow-up and stay in contact with the person you interviewed, so they don’t fall off your radar. •
Send a follow-up email to thank them. Make it personal by telling them what you specifically appreciated about the conversation and what you learned. If they have made suggestions on the next-action step, such as connecting you with one of their connections, keep them updated.
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Add them on LinkedIn if you haven’t already. LinkedIn is a great way you keep in touch with your interviewees after the informational interview because it allows you to stay up to date with their professional activities and follow-up after graduation.
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GENEVIEVE BENSON
NEED TO KNOW: NETWORKING
Networking, although sometimes intimidating, is a valuable method to connect with employers and professionals within your desired career path. Networking typically occurs at job and internship fairs, or networking events, but it also happens every day! When meeting new individuals, you engage in basic networking by presenting your best self to others. General networking intentionally creates meaningful relationships beneficial to both parties, so have no fear and network away! When conversing with others, it’s important to be curious and ask educated questions. Pose open-ended questions to gain deeper insight into the person’s responsibilities and through processes, such as “What are you looking for in a candidate for this job?” Are there particular skills or strengths a job requires? Questions related to the field, such as “What are the trends in the industry right now?” also show you are informed and inquisitive. Once you have established a solid network, stay in touch! If you build a strong relationship with your connections, utilize them for references and letters of recommendation, and job opportunities. Accessing online job-seeking platforms are effective ways to locate new professional positions, however, use the resources you have made through people first. Do’s 1.
Dress clean and comfortable, while looking the part
2. Do your homework: research the contact and company before the meeting 3. Embrace the awkward: networking can be uncomfortable, but embrace it and move on in a professional manner 4. Be friendly, warm, and attentive 5. Remember, positive body language counts 6. Ask questions and remain engaged 7. Listen, and actively listen while taking notes 8. Ask the individual to review your resume 9. Follow-up via LinkedIn, email, or a hand-written thank you note in a timely fashion
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ANDY BYUN
AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT’S EXPERIENCE 11
February is filled with career fairs. As an international student, you might feel overwhelmed when it comes to employment in the United States. I had an opportunity to speak with the International Career Consultant at the Career Services Administration about tips on navigating the career fair season as an international student.
BEFORE THE CAREER FAIR Work on building your resume to stand out to recruiters. It is important to seek experiences that will help you prepare for an internship or career post-graduation (both in the U.S. or another country). Student groups, on-campus jobs, volunteer opportunities and research are all great starting points. Also, review a few potential jobs that you are interested in, and pay close attention to keywords that frequently come up in the job description. Obtaining experiences that develop soft and technical skills explicitly mentioned in job descriptions will help your resume stand out. Additionally, highlight your language capabilities, but make sure to put English on top of your list if you’re applying for positions where English is the primary language. The International Career Consultant offers approximately eight workshops and events per semester in collaboration with the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), College Career Centers, among others. One of the main events is the international student career fair preparation workshop. The next workshop is on Friday, February 21 from 3 - 4 p.m. in Bruininks Hall, room 420B. The career counselors will tell you what to expect at the career fair, how to polish your resume, and more. The ISSS advisors will also teach you more about work authorization including Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT), and to provide cultural support. You can find a list of upcoming events and workshops on the side of this article. Take some time to visit both the career counselors and the ISSS advisors in-person. Visit career.umn.edu/international-students for more information such as how to look for jobs both in and out of the U.S.
DURING THE CAREER FAIR When you are at the career fair, make sure to share with the recruiters your skills, experiences and enthusiasm. Many times, work authoriza-
u o y k n a Th
tion, visa status and sponsorship can be discussed in detail after the fair. Be confident and ready to engage in conversations with the recruiters to learn more about the company and the position. It will be your chance to make a positive first impression on the employer. Ask for the contact information of the recruiter so you can send them a brief thank-you email to follow-up.
AFTER THE CAREER FAIR The time has come. You are prepared to apply to the position you expressed interest in. In the application, you will encounter two questions asking about your work authorization and visa sponsorship. These questions are complex. When asked about these questions, the International Career Consultant said, “this question can seem challenging, so we advise students to consider and understand the employer’s perspective throughout the job application and interview process. It also can vary depending on if you’re applying to an internship, or for a position after graduation.” As an international student, you should say “yes” to both questions if it is a position regarding OPT. Although you might not need or want sponsorship immediately, you may need sponsorship to continue working after your OPT period ends. Students can get support from ISSS to help understand these questions better. These questions might feel like a barrier to your employment in the U.S. If this is the case for you, take a look at what the International Career Consultant has to say, “to break through the barriers that this question may cause, we advise students to make the most of opportunities to make an in-person impression on employers. This can be done through career fairs, but should not be limited to those events. Students can also connect with employers through events and information sessions hosted on and off-campus
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(see GoldPASS, LinkedIn, Eventbrite), and through LinkedIn to connect with industry professionals.� If you make progress and get a chance to have an on-site interview, this is the time to address your status as an international student if it has not come up previously. You can find guidelines for answering common employer questions about sponsorship through the U.S. Job Search section of career.umn.edu/international-students. Practice advocating for yourself and highlighting your strengths. Focus on securing the opportunity first and work hard to make solid impressions on your employer. Getting sponsorship is not a one-step deal, so it may take time to obtain it. Now you are ready to tackle the career fair! Attend all the workshops and events and visit Career Services to receive further assistance with your career development.
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